The biggest item on Russiaâ€™s shopping list is four Mistral warships. One vessel will probably be built at an STX France SA shipyard, according to the report. A second may be built by STX in sections and assembled in Russia, and two more may be built under license in Russia, the center said.

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So there is the clarification, the second will be sent in modules to Russia for assembly but still built in St. Nazaire.

Fiat spokesman Richard Gadeselli said neither Fiat nor Iveco is in talks with Russia to produce military vehicles.

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So why does it keep ending up in the media?

A contract to buy thermal cameras for tanks from Neuilly- sur-Seine, France-based Thales SA, may also total 300 million euros, the center said. A deal to purchase battlefield optics and navigation equipment from Sagem, part of Paris-based Safran SA, may cost the same.

Licensed production of Thales cameras will begin July 9 at a plant in Vologda, Russia, said Alla Kuznetsova, the companyâ€™s Russia chief. Patrick Barraquand, who heads Sagemâ€™s Russian unit, said he couldnâ€™t comment.